The University of Montana

Happening at UM

Meet Jessica Ray, an animal science major from Michigan State University who is participating in UM’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program through the Center for Environmental Health Sciences. She’s working toward her goal of conducting environmental toxicology research by studying the emerging concern of nanoparticles as an environmental contaminant. Working with UM mentors Yoon Hee Cho and Gini Porter, Ray is developing expertise in topics including epigenetics and nanomaterials. Read more about Ray’s summer at UM.

James “Jim” Elser, an internationally renowned freshwater ecologist, will become the next director of the University of Montana’s century-old Flathead Lake Biological Station. UM President Royce Engstrom announced July 29 that Elser had accepted the position. Elser, a lake ecologist who serves as a Regents’ Professor at Arizona State University, was selected for the position after an extensive international search. He will succeed Jack Stanford, who will remain director until Elser arrives. Read more about the new director.

UM Dining Director Mark LoParco recently received an award for his leadership and contributions to the National Association of College and University Food Services and the collegiate foodservice industry at large. The Richard Lichtenfelt Award – named for NACUFS’ first president – recognizes outstanding service to the association on a national level. NACUFS named LoParco the 2015 recipient during the association’s annual conference held July 22-25 in Indianapolis. Read more about LoParco’s latest award.

When NFL-bound former Grizzly defensive end Zack Wagenmann texted current Griz Caleb Kidder and asked him to join the recent grad for a workout recently, Kidder wasn't surprised. It was what happened next that stunned him. “I met him on the field, and we were warming up, and he just started talking to me about how things are, and asked me if I would wear it for him.” “It” is Montana’s famed #37 legacy jersey.

The Flathead Lake Biological Station’s research boat, the Jessie B., returned to its dock recently after a six-month absence. The welded-aluminum hull on the station’s refurbished boat now houses two new diesel engines, high-performance outdrives and 540 horsepower. The refurbishment added 140 horsepower and gave the Jessie B. the ability to carry 13,500 pounds in fuel, people and equipment for research missions on Flathead Lake. Read more about the refurbished Jesse B. in the Bigfork Eagle.

The Center for World University Rankings recently ranked UM No. 585 out of universities worldwide, placing the University in the top 2.4 percent of more than 25,000 degree-granting institutions of higher education. UM jumped 21 spots from its No. 604 ranking in 2014. CWUR uses eight indicators to identify the world’s top 1,000 universities: quality of education, alumni employment, quality of faculty, publications, influence, citations, broad impact and patents. Read the news release.

UM student Aaron Page helps President Royce Engstrom try his hand at an audio-based computer application of ping pong on an iPhone. Page, who works with UMOnline and Assistive Technology in the IT Department, was demonstrating some of the technologies available to students with disabilities during a celebration at UM on July 27 to mark 25 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act.